The Bard's Tale

 PC
The Bard's Tale Image
Metascore
70

Mixed or average reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 103 Ratings

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  • Summary: One man on his own. A poet and a rogue, with no friends to speak of, no one to mourn his passing shouuld it come to that. Even those beside hime are no more boon companions than bondservants, summoned by sorcery and song, as cold and indifferent to him as the light of a wanderin' star. Is aOne man on his own. A poet and a rogue, with no friends to speak of, no one to mourn his passing shouuld it come to that. Even those beside hime are no more boon companions than bondservants, summoned by sorcery and song, as cold and indifferent to him as the light of a wanderin' star. Is a Dragon terrorising the locals? He'll take care of it for the right price. Local princess held captiver? The Bard is your man as long as she's hot. Forget the quest to save the world, our hero is interested in just two things...Coin and Cleavage. The Bard's Tale is a new generation action-RPG with wicket humour and stunning graphics. [inXile Entertainment]… Expand
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The Bard's Tale Official Trailer

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 11
  3. Negative: 1 out of 11
  1. Computer Games Online RO
    84
    If you’re looking for a complex RPG, with lots of items, weapons, skills and intricate dialog options, you’re looking in the wrong place. But if you a want a simple game, which will surely steal a smile or two of your face, then The Bard’s Tale might be just what you’re looking for.
  2. PC Gamer
    81
    Has nothing in common with the original series, but it's a solid action/RPG. [Sept 2005, p.81]
    All this publication's reviews
  3. CPUGamer
    80
    The wit present in this game is second to none and I honestly think this is what would have happened had Mel Brooks gotten into game making.
  4. Jolt Online Gaming UK
    70
    Yes, it’s funny, and it does crack a few good observations about the genre. However, by making the same mistakes that the games it’s laughing at make, it shoots itself in the foot a bit.
  5. Computer Games Magazine
    70
    Ultimately, incisive humor and caustic personality win out over dicey combat and console-itis. [Oct 2005, p.66]
    All this publication's reviews
  6. Computer and Video Games
    68
    While The Bard's Tale is told amusingly enough, the disappointing combat fails to lift it from the upper end of mediocrity.
  7. PC Format
    45
    A victim of its own sneers, this is the world's first self-parodying game. [July 2005, p.90]
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See all 11 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 26
  3. Negative: 6 out of 26
  1. RobeerC.
    Jul 10, 2005
    10
    I've just walked through this game, and it was a great fun. I can only say, it's a must play game. Good songs for everyone ;)
  2. G.Doane
    Jun 7, 2005
    9
    If it's Bard's Tale it has to be good. I'm ready for the character to swing three times and miss!
  4. LarryM.
    Sep 13, 2005
    9
    It was fun and if not for the bugs in the video/game play I would have given it a 10. I thoroughly enjoyed the satire and the overall trek.
  5. szutyok47
    Dec 8, 2016
    8
    Az első játék volt. amit a szívembe zártam (és el sem eresztettem). Amikor először meghallottam, hogy egy humoros, ironikus RPG készült márAz első játék volt. amit a szívembe zártam (és el sem eresztettem). Amikor először meghallottam, hogy egy humoros, ironikus RPG készült már egyből felkeltette az érdeklődésemet és a végigjátszás után a sok röhögőgörcs közepette azóta is könnyeket csal a szemembe.… Expand
  6. Topfpflanze
    Apr 27, 2021
    7
    The Bard's Tale is not really a good game in the strictest sense. It's an unbalanced hack and slash adventure game that hangs in many placesThe Bard's Tale is not really a good game in the strictest sense. It's an unbalanced hack and slash adventure game that hangs in many places and doesn't have a viable story or even a credible goal. However, it is a lot of fun to play. It's pure comedy in places, and the songs are legendary. You can unbox it and reminisce about old memories if you've played it before.… Expand
  7. PrincessRose
    Feb 3, 2015
    5
    This game is sort of alright.

    Love the songs in this game. That is probably the only thing going for it, the humour and awesome songs.    This game is sort of alright.

    Love the songs in this game.

    That is probably the only thing going for it, the humour and awesome songs.

    The controls, combat and camera are very clunky and awkward and the constant load screens are annoying as well. No inventory, little depth to the game and it becomes repetitive.

    Though no inventory can be classed as a good thing especially if you're a hoarder who finds it hard to part with anything in case you need it later. Not so with this game, no need to sell anything, it is automatic, any loot you pick up whether it be wolf pelts, or jewels etc. immediately turn to silvers, the currency of this game. If you find a weapon more powerful then the equipped, it immediately equips it and turns the old into silvers. But it also means less depth and not really any choice of what you equip. Such as you would rather equip a faster sword that has less dmg, but nope it would equip the weapon does the most dmg.

    This game is also very linear and more like an action adventure game than an RPG.

    I like the main character he is rather snarky and selfish and not a typical save the world hero, which makes for a nice change. He's in it primarily for coin and booty.

    But even so the fun songs become repetitive and don't vary much, always the same bad luck song with slight variation sung by trow. So 7 Trow songs and only 2, more unique songs that I came across and Iam very thorough in exploring so don't think I missed any.

    Can't recommend this game for the humour alone does not make up for the negatives.

    I found it a bit too repetitive to recommend, I only kept playing as I hate leaving a game uncompleted and it was not so terrible that I couldn't stand playing and now that I completed it, it's not a game Iam likely ever to play again. And to see the other ending I can just watch it on You Tube.    … Expand
  8. MitchellS.
    Aug 23, 2005
    1
    This thing sucks. Barely worthy of the name Bards Tale. Sorry I paid full price for it. It's a cheap, shoddy effort to cash in on the This thing sucks. Barely worthy of the name Bards Tale. Sorry I paid full price for it. It's a cheap, shoddy effort to cash in on the name by the original creator, who must have had a bad run of business luck or something, and got desperate. And it shows. The graphics are circa 1999. They're SERIOUSLY BAD, and if you told most gamers this came out in 2004/5 and they'd not heard about it prior, they would have no reason to believe you. Gameplay is basically non-existent; I'm tempted to say this game isn't even finished, and that they decided to throw in the towel and release it at the "walk-through demo" state, which is pretty much what it is. That said, some of the content is damn funny. So it gets a one, not z ero. It just isn't worth $40. Or even $20.… Expand

See all 26 User Reviews

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Awards & Rankings

50
#50 Most Discussed PC Game of 2005
30
#30 Most Shared PC Game of 2005

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